Meet Surgeons
18,000 Body Sculpting & Breast Procedures Successfully Performed
For years Dr. Jeffry Schafer has pioneered the latest advances in Liposuction, establishing a renowned national reputation. Recently, Dr. Schafer was joined by Dr. J. Kurt Bivens, a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, and Dr. Mark Garbutt, a Board Certified Ocular Plastic Surgeon. Their combined skills have aesthetically sculpted more than 18,000 bodies and breasts, plus thousands of faces. The vast majority of their procedures can be performed under local anesthesia, enabling you to quickly return to work, or normal activities with little or no downtime!
MEET JEFFRY B. SCHAFER, MD, FRSM
Jeffry B. Schafer, MD, FRSM is a fully trained Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgeon and has been in practice since 1978. Along with his 25 years of experience in cosmetic surgery, he has 15 years of liposculpture experience. Dr. Schafer was a former staff physician with Scripps Clinic and Research Institute in La Jolla. He was a clinical instructor at The University of Alabama School of Medicine. Dr. Schafer taught at the University of California at San Diego.
He has been an integral part of the San Diego community. Dr. Schafer has been a board member of Mainly Mozart, The San Diego Opera and Partners Against Crime. Dr. Schafer feels strongly about giving back to the community and is a supporter of the Salvation Army, numerous children’s charities and has been involved in the Spirit of Caring Mobile Healthcare Clinic in Chula Vista. He has also volunteered his plastic and reconstructive skills for the Rotary Foundations Thousand Smiles in Mexico. Dr. Schafer was awarded fellowships at King’s College of The University of London, England, and The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, DC.
Dr. Jeffry B.Schafer has been called the "Father of Modern Laser Liposuction". As a Cynosure "Center of Excellence" his office has mentored over 100 Physicians and twenty nurse trainers in the beginning of laser lypolysis. He developed the method of Superficial Skin Tightening and the concept of measuring skin temperature for safe and accurate results. He was instrumental in the development of the technology for Slim Lipo by Palomar and contributed to their teaching guidelines and evaluations as one of their "Centers of Excellence".
He was the first physician the US to purchase the Body Jet Liposuction system and was showcased on "The Doctors " with this new technology.
Discover the Latest Advances in Body Contouring through Dr. Jeffry Schafer’s New Book: A Patient’s Guide to Liposuction.
MEET JOSEPH K.BIVENS, MD
Dr. Bivens is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. He has dedicated his life to the enhancement of the human form, personally as an artist and musician, and professionally as a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. He works to bring beauty fulfillment to his patients. Dr. Bivens pursued Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as a career path in order to realize his desires to embellish beauty and balance of the body. His work begins with his careful analysis of the body and inner self and its effect on beauty. “A beautiful body can only evolve from the beauty within,” Dr. Bivens emphasizes. Dr. Bivens has strong convictions as to the importance of the mind body relationships. Sound nutrition, physical fitness and a stress-less mind are critical elements to one’s acceptance of physical beauty. From years of training as an athlete Dr. Bivens understands the value of managing health and is committed to assisting his patients in achieving their beauty goals. As with any team sport, Dr. Bivens and his patient form a unique partnership whose goal is to win and create physical and mental beauty.
Dr. Bivens was born in Florida where he attended the University of Florida for both undergraduate and Medical School. While at the University of Florida his research experiences in microvascular surgery and silicone gel implants paved the way for his interest and dedication to Plastic, Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery. Medical school exposed him to all aspects of healthcare but the only discipline that truly allowed Dr. Bivens to express and challenge himself in an artistic way was Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Bivens has been instrumental in the development of liposuction and breast implant surgery and has perfected his abilities through his work with the country’s and world’s leading experts in body contouring. As the field has expanded so has his knowledge and skills set. Laser lipolysis, ultrasonic liposuction as well as traditional liposculpture have become staples in his management of the body form. Dr. Bivens specializes in body transformation, managing the aging body and creating a balanced fulfilled patient.
“It’s a pleasure to be in the field of medicine that can change lives and make dreams come true,” states Dr. Bivens. “The time we will spend together discussing your expectations is extremely important in the overall success of your results. I’ll spend all the time necessary to discover your wants and needs, as well as make certain you feel confident about the care you receive at our facility. ”
MEET MARK GARBUTT, MD
After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University as a John Harvard Scholar, Dr. Mark V. Garbutt received his Medical Degree from the University of California, San Francisco.
After Medical School, Dr. Garbutt did a residency in Eye Surgery at the prestigious Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. He was subsequently invited into the fellowship program in Eyelid and and Orbital Plastic Surgery at the Institute, focused on reconstructive and plastic surgery of the eye socket, including the eye muscles, optic nerve, globe, eye socket bones, eyelids, mid-face, and forehead. This type of surgical training fellowship is made available to only 5% or so of Eye Surgeons nationwide. He also served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Eyelid and Orbital Plastic Surgery at UCLA.
In addition, Dr. Garbutt was completely trained in Laser Vision Correction. He was a staff Laser Vision Correction surgeon for a Laser Vision Surgery Clinic in Orange County, California, while continuing to perform Eyelid Plastic Surgery and Hair Transplantation in Los Angeles. He is also well versed in the newer Multifocal Lens Implants that restore both distance and reading vision to patients who want to get rid of their reading glasses.
When Dr. Garbutt relocated to San Diego, Dr. Schafer had the opportunity to see Dr. Garbutt’s surgical work while mentoring him for surgical privileges at the local hospital. Over time Dr. Schafer and Dr. Garbutt developed a professional relationship related to Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery. In addition, Dr. Garbutt became interested in Dr. Schafer’s work in Liposuction, stem cell harvesting, and facial fat stem cell transfer. This led to Dr. Schafer training Dr. Garbutt directly in liposuction surgery so that he could perform these techniques, and benefit from Dr. Schafer’s mastery of this field.
Dr. Garbutt is a Board Certified Eye Surgeon, by the American Board of Ophthalmology. In addition, he has been a Member or Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the International Society of Refractive Surgery, and the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. He has staff appointments at both Sharp Coronado Hospital, and Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California.
Dr. Garbutt looks forward to continued collaboration with both Dr. Schafer and Dr. Bivens, and to combining and improving their joint approaches to the total image rejuvenation of the body, breast, neck, face, forehead, eyelids, hair, and vision, of their patients using the latest techniques, which exemplifies the total approach to patient care of New Image Cosmetic Surgery.
